The question is always whether the bells and whistles of the new cellphone on the block are enough to justify the upgrade. Some customers decide to hold fast and wait another year for more grand improvements. Other techies take the bait to make sure they have the next big thing.

This year is no different, though Apple made it more difficult for people to say no with its announcement Tuesday. It introduced two new phones:

1. The plastic 5C, geared as a fun and colorful option for people with less money to spend

2. The sleeker, more expensive 5S, which claims to be the “the gold standard of smartphones.”

Some things to keep in mind when deciding whether to buy one of the new models:

Fingerprint scanner?

The flashiest 5S feature might be “Touch ID.”

It’s designed to recognize your fingerprint. Once you teach the cellphone to do that, Apple says you can touch the home button to unlock the phone rather than typing in a four-digit code.

The iPhone 5C will be available in five colors — green, blue, yellow, pink and white. iEnthusiasts are buzzing about retina display, an 8-megapixel camera and something called an A6 chip.

More obvious — and trendier — is a rear cover that lights up.

Its more expensive cousin, the 5S, comes in silver, gold and “space gray” and is faster with features to help avoid blurry photos.

The phones will run you anywhere from $99 to $299.

Consider your buyback options

Retailers such as Best Buy and Target have offered buyback programs for iPhones and other electronics in the past.

Beginning Sept. 21, people who bring in their existing cellphone to a Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club store can earn a credit of $50 to $300. The trade-in price you get will depend on the brand and its condition.

A working iPhone 5 can get you the peak price.

But you have to apply the credit toward the purchase of a new smartphone.

Wal-Mart and Sam’s will take non-Apple phones, too, though for less money.

A working Samsung Galaxy S3: $175

A Galaxy S2: $52.

Apple also rolled out its own iPhone buyback in U.S. stores. Customers with used iPhones can get up to $280 toward a new model.

The value will depend on screen, hardware and button quality and whether the phone has any other damage.

To trade in at the Apple store, your phone has to turn on and you have to be under contract.